– I loved it! It was cool to celebrate Christmas and New Year on the beach! And people were all really nice, I was lucky to do this international volunteer program.

– Of course, you were! I was dying of jealousy every time you posted a new pic on Facebook! That’s why I stopped commenting and pressing the like button.

– Haha! You can rejoice, your torture is over now.

– What do you mean?

– Australia is over. I’m definitely back in Paris.

– Yann, that’s so cool!!!

– Yep, I can bother you again!

– Haha! Did you find a new job?

– The company where I did my penultimate internship called me. They want to rehire me as a commercial. I have already received the promise of employment and I’m starting next Monday.

– Wow, congratulations Yann!

– Thank you!

– And where are you staying?

– In Grands Boulevards, with my brother. He is doing his last year of studies in Paris.

– Awesome!

– Yes, it will be great to live with Zach again. Well, enough about me. I want to know everything about you. Tell me what I missed since I left!

– Two days before you left, I broke up with my boyfriend…

– I did not even know you had a boyfriend! Do I know him?

– You have already seen him several times…

– You have never introduced me to your boyfriends! I don’t understand.

– Do you remember of our friend Dylan?

– The Irish boy? Oh my god, you two have…

– Yes.

– Why didn’t you tell me?

– We thought it was more romantic to keep it for us and we didn’t want to justify ourselves in front of the whole crew. We only meet once a year, there was no point to tell people…

– I understand you didn’t want to talk about your private life to the others but I thought you and I were close enough for you to trust me!

– I’m sorry, Yann, but you were about to leave when my relationship with Dylan ended. I didn’t want to bother you with my problems and you were on the other side of the world for eight months! I didn’t want to cry in front of you during the few times we talked on Skype!

– I’m not happy with that.

– Yann, it doesn’t matter anymore since this story is over.

– Mayl’, it DOES matter.

– Why are you saying that?

– Because you were miserable and I couldn’t help you! I’ve been a bad friend.

– Are you insane?! You couldn’t help me because you didn’t know anything! It’s not your fault, Yann.

– I should have read between the lines.

– Come on, you know this isn’t the strongest area of men!

– Still, I should have known something was wrong when you stopped being active on Facebook and you barely gave me news. Before, we used to contact each other at least once a week. I don’t remember when we stopped…

– …when I started dating Dylan.

– …True.

– My mistake. I shouldn’t have neglected you.

– Don’t worry about it. I have been busy too.

– Because of a girl?

– No, because of my research to leave abroad! I didn’t have time for love.

– Even in Australia?

– Australians are very sexy but they’re not my type of girl.

– I see… So what’s your type of girl?

– Not so fast, miss. We still have to deal with you! Tell me what happened with Dylan.

– Is it so important to know?

– Yes, it is. Because you’re the one who started to talk about it and I hate being left without explanation. And because I’m your friend. So please tell me!

– Dylan made me understand he had feelings for me one and a half year ago, when I was visiting him in Ireland. Then he came to see me in Paris and we started to date. We couldn’t see each other often because of work and distance but I was happy with him. Really.

– Now I understand why he came to Paris several times during the year! Sorry, go ahead…

– We had projects together. I took extra courses in English to better communicate with him. I retook the TOEIC exam, I applied in Ireland and I was ready to leave Paris to live in Dublin when he decided to put an end to our story…

– Wow, I didn’t know that… I guess you really cared about him to make all these sacrifices…

– I did.

– I’m sorry, Mayline.

– Don’t be. It’s not your fault!

– I know but I can’t stand to see you suffer because of a guy. And it’s not just any guy. It’s one of our friends!

– I know. That’s why it makes me so sick!

– Why did he leave you?

– He said my life was in Paris and that it was the right thing to do.

– That’s it?

– He told me he was sorry but he had to think about his career above all, so he didn’t have a room for me in his life.

– How could he say that?! It’s cruel!

– I guess he was afraid that I take too much space in his life. Maybe he didn’t love me, it’s the most plausible reason.

– I don’t believe that.

– Are you calling me a liar?!

– Of course not! I don’t think he didn’t love you. Maybe he just didn’t love you enough so he thought he wasn’t able to continue his relationship with you…

– Are you taking his side?

– No. You’re both my friends. I’m sorry about what happened to you. It breaks my heart to see you like this but I want you to be lucid and realistic.

– No, but nobody let me choose. It was the hardest breakup of my life.

– Do you still have feelings for him?

– I have a lot of feelings: regret, sadness, nervousness, fatigue, disillusionment… Hope, love? I’m not sure anymore. All I know is that it would be pathetic to continue to love someone who doesn’t want you, don’t you think?

– Feelings can’t be controlled but at least you’re aware of them. It’s already a good point. To answer your question, I think that love is not enough to build a relationship. You need additional foundations.

– Like what?

– Look at your previous relationship with Dylan. There were too many barriers between you: distance, jetlag, language, priorities, investment… It wasn’t proportional. You were ready to give up everything for him! Do you think he would have done the same for you?

– Well, he came to see me several times…

– That was the least he could do!

– He took French classes…

– Did you communicate in French?

–…Barely. His level wasn’t good enough so speaking in English was more convenient.

– And it wasn’t too hard for you?

– I love English! It’s one of my favourite languages.

– So you perfectly understood each other?

– Of course not! I’m not bilingual. I admit that sometimes I didn’t understand what he was saying and it gave me a headache.

– Because you were forced to focus and think about every word you would say! It requires an ongoing effort. Frankly, I admire you. How long did it last?

– Eight months, I guess.

– Do you think that love has to be so complicated?

– I just think that no obstacle should be insurmontable if you really want to be with someone.

– I’ll give you that. But ideally, what are you dreaming of?

– Am I obliged to answer this question?

– Mayl’, I’m trying to help you.

– Ok, I will tell you but only if you answer too.

– Deal! So, what is the portrait of your ideal man?

– Let’s order more cocktails. It will be a long night!

– As you wish. I’ve got plenty of time! What do you want? It’s on me…”

At the end of the evening, a new kind of complicity has grown between Yann and Mayline. Happy to make up for lost time, they enjoy the pleasure of speaking about everything and about anything without taboo, and build a special friendly relationship that they both had missed. They get used to daily phone calls and try to see each other once a week.

Without daring to admit it, Mayline is looking forward to the next outing with Yann. She enjoys his company because they only share good times together. Yann is the faithful friend, the one who reassures her, listens to her, makes her laugh and helps her move forward in life. While he was in Australia, Mayline was half alive and had lost all zest for life. When she is with Yann, the young girl feels fun, radiant and happy again. It is as if Yann made all the sadness left by Dylan disappear…

Our two friends became close enough to organize sleepovers from time to time. In general, they choose a theme, cook together at Mayline’s place, prepare a meal tray, watch a movie and sleep in the same bed with no ulterior motive. Mayline’s girlfriends told her that Yann and her act like a platonic couple and Yann’s pals told him that he took on the role of the gay best friend like Rupert Everett in “My Best Friend’s Wedding” movie. Mayline and Yann protest in front of their friends but they begin to feel uncomfortable. Mayline does not want a platonic relationship and Yann does not want Mayl’ to think that he is homosexual.

The two young people fell in love and each one does not know how to tell the other. They stopped doing sleepovers and decided to meet in the café where they had celebrated their reunion…

-“I have something to tell you.

– Me too!

– Ok, go first!

– Drinks?

– That’s a good idea!… One Mojito and one Blue Lagoon, please!

-…Thank you. So, what’s the latest, Yann?

– This is something that concerns the both of us.

– Good or bad news?

– It depends on you.

– Are you leaving again?

– I’m not going anywhere. I just want to be with you.

– But you’re my…

– I don’t know what I am for you. We meet every week, we have phone calls every day, we cook together, sleep in the same bed… This is not what normal friends do and I don’t want to play the part of your gay friend! I’m heterosexual and it hurts me that you don’t see it.

– What are you talking about? I’ve never thought that you were gay!

– I’m glad you clarified that point.

– So what? You like girls? Good for you! Have you met someone?

– Yes.

– Do I know her?

– She is yelling at me right now.

– Haha! Is it a joke, Yann?

– I’ve never been more serious.

– I don’t want to lose another friend.

– You’re not gonna lose me, I promise. I’ll always be there for you. So, what do you think about that?